News
Equinix to Back Five New Solar Farms in Spain
February 2023 by Marc Jacob
Equinix, Inc. has significantly increased its backing of renewable power projects with the addition of five new long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in Spain totaling 225 megawatts (MW). Once operational in 2025, the projects are expected to generate more than enough power to match consumption at Equinix’s International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centers in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.
The five new projects, along with existing projects, will bring Equinix’s contracted PPA capacity to 595 MW globally, which is estimated to generate nearly two million MWh annually.
The geography of Spain offers solar radiation levels higher than those recorded in other parts of Europe. Furthermore, Valladolid, Lérida, Granada and Segovia, where the new projects are planned, have an average solar radiation value above other geographical zones within Spain.
The projects will be managed by Madrid-based IGNIS, an integrated renewable energy group involved in the entire value chain, from development to operation and energy solutions. IGNIS has participated in the development of a portfolio of more than 20 GW of renewable projects in Europe, the U.S., Latin America and Asia, and it currently manages an operational portfolio of more than 4 GW of different generation technologies. Schneider Electric, a global advisor on corporate renewable energy procurement, supported Equinix in project selection and contract negotiations.
Equinix continues to evolve its power procurement portfolio to increase the quality of its renewable energy purchases. Priorities include transitioning from certificates to PPAs in all global markets where feasible. Beyond the company’s renewable energy strategy, it continues to evaluate on-site solar opportunities, on-site generation from fuel cells, and other distributed low-carbon technology that fits with the company’s overall global strategy.
Equinix was the first in the data center industry to commit to becoming climate neutral, aligned to an approved short-term science-based target, for emissions reduction across its global operations and supply chain by 2030. It is also a founding signatory of the EU Climate Neutral Data Centre Operator Pact, which is leading advocacy and steering the development of sustainability requirements for the EU data center industry to become climate neutral by 2030.
Highlights/Key Facts
• Equinix began its PPA program in 2015 with the signing of two wind PPAs for 225 MW in Texas and Oklahoma that have been operational since 2016.
• In late 2021 and early 2022, Equinix signed three PPAs in Finland for a total of 144 MW of new-build wind capacity from the Bjorkliden, Lumivvara and Storbotet projects with renewable providers Neoen and Prokon.
• The company is currently evaluating additional projects in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
• In December 2022, Equinix became the first colocation data center operator to commit to a program to optimize energy use across its global footprint of more than 240 data centers by “adjusting the thermostat” to reduce the amount of cooling provisioned within its buildings.
